Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider: Oral damage common in COVID-19 survivors

Dear Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider,

More than 80% of COVID-19 survivors had damage to the oral cavity or surrounding structures in a new study published in the Journal of Dental Research.

The most frequently reported condition, salivary gland ectasia, affected 38% of 122 adults who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment in Italy. Facial pain and nerve conditions were also common complaints among the COVID-19 survivors. Read the full list of oral conditions in our Insider Exclusive.

In other news in the Anesthesia & Pain Management Community, pharmacologist Tom Viola, RPh, sat down with DrBicuspid.com to discuss what we know -- and don't know -- about cannabis. In a video interview, Viola detailed some surprising cannabis facts. For instance, despite its reputation for mellowing people out, cannabis can actually increase blood pressure and heart rate. It also may not be an ideal opioid alternative for acute dental pain.

Speaking of opioids, researchers found that 95% of opioid prescriptions from dentists are for just five procedures. Tooth extractions alone accounted for approximately two-thirds of the 2.7 million opioid prescriptions written by dentists in a five-year period.

The use of liposomal bupivacaine could be one method to help cut back on opioids for extractions. Oral surgeons prescribed 59% fewer total opioids for patients who received liposomal bupivacaine during third-molar extractions in research detailed in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Finally, the pandemic may be driving an increase in stress-related dental conditions, including teeth grinding, cracked teeth, and temporomandibular joint disorder symptoms. Newly released poll data from the ADA showed the majority of dentists have seen an increase in these painful, stress-related conditions during the pandemic.

The ADA poll aligns with new research from BMC Oral Health showing the COVID-19 lockdown increased online searches for toothaches in Iran. The data suggest that pandemic-related dental concerns may be global.

Have you noticed an increase in patients complaining of dental pain since the pandemic began? I'd love to hear your experience. You can reach me on Twitter or by email.